Grassroots group meets Anastasiades, pushes him for way forward on Cyprus

A delegation from UniteCyprusNow met with President Nicos Anastasiades on Friday following his invitation to discuss the details of the Conference on Cyprus in Switzerland which ended inconclusively earlier in the month.

During the meeting, the group said that it sought insight about his views on the way forward for a united Cyprus.

The group also presented Anastasiades its demands aimed at overcoming the deadlock.

The multi-communal citizens’ initiative demands that the two sides put an end to the game and urged them to “take their share of the responsibility for the failure of the conference, alter the zero-sum, concession-reluctant and risk-averse mentality, and make a joint call on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to restart the negotiations based on the June 30 framework”.

They also call on the two sides to immediately start educating people about a bizonal, bicommunal federation being the only possible and viable solution in Cyprus for a peaceful and prosperous coexistence, and convey an accurate picture of what a federation is.

The group also calls for “urgent steps to erode the division in practice and at a grassroots level by encouraging economic, educational, cultural, social and sporting cooperation between the north and south, and overcome all the legal, administrative and practical obstacles that prevent interaction, cooperation and interdependence”.

“End the official nationalist rhetoric that breeds division, erodes common Cypriot identity, nurtures misperceptions and mistrust; end the intimidation of supporters of federal solution; address and penalise hate speech, discrimination and hate crimes especially faced by Turkish Cypriots,” the group said.

They also urged the two leaders to open the Dheryneia and Apliki crossing points without further delay, and authorise the Bicommunal Technical Working Group on Education to reform the education system on both sides “to rid the curricula and books of all nationalist and racist elements and promote peace, acceptance and coexistence”.

The group, which is to also meet Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci in the coming days, said that they would make a comprehensive assessment of both meetings and would announce their conclusions.

UniteCyprusNow was formed more than two months ago by people who met during the daily protests held since May in the buffer zone between the Ledra Street and Lokmaci crossings, in Nicosia aimed at supporting but also putting pressure on the two leaders to push forward with a settlement solution.

Ten members of UniteCyprusNow travelled – with the sponsorship of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation – to the swiss resort of Crans-Montana where the talks were held between June 28 and July 7, to raise awareness about the importance of a solution in international media and encourage the leaders and guarantor powers to be constructive.

It seems that the group is full of naive fools. They make no mention of the country which invaded, ethnically cleansed and partitioned Cyprus to satisfy its imperialistic designs, which it still holds onto. The last thing Turkey wants is a truly independent Cyprus which it does not control. That’s why it has turned northern Cyprus into a military base and Turkish satellite and it wants to unify Cyprus as a federal ‘state’ with limited independence which it has the power to intervene in, hence its support for keeping its military stationed in and its guarantor rights in Cyprus after a solution.It would have control by using the supposedly Turkish Cypriot community (the majority of whom is made up of Turkish settlers) which will be given 50 per cent of power in governing the island despite the fact that in the last valid census they made up 18 per cent of the people of Cyprus. This was the aim in 1960 and this is the aim now. The only solution that is on the table today, is to make Cyprus into a Turkish dependency. Is this what Unite Cyprus Now is proposing?

Andreas

Before any more talks take place the problem with Turkish troops staying on the island must be resolved. No Turkish troops at all emediately after a solution must be put in wright first and then they can sit and talk about a solution. This is how it should have started 2 years ago, it should not have been left to this late stage. If turkey will not agree to this then there is not point in looking for a solution any longer.

HighTide

You have just explained why there will be no more talks, and the two states on the island will stay put.

Andreas

You are probably correct.

Frustrated

This initiative is a classic case of “the road to hell being paved with good intentions”.

UniteCyprusNow are to be commended for their efforts. The only trouble is the that the man to whom they’re talking has absolutely no intention of seriously resolving the national issue. End of story.

Nazaret Shamlian

F
Don’t ignore the fact that there is a very important event in Cyprus, February 2018.
Presidential Elections.The man needs to get his priorities right.

phyper1

Another one!!!!!!!!!!

phyper1

Rubbish talk. Change your tune, for God’s sake.

HighTide

Such joint exercises of few participants are always commie driven, hence to be taken with a grain of salt, or rather a bag of it.

mustafa balci

Most important sentence reform of the education system

mike nico

I take it you mean bothsides

mustafa balci

Yes

mike nico

Agree then

Gregos Winston

They mean well, but what really needs to happen is, someone like Donald Trump needs to remind Erdogan that he’s merely an insignificant puppet who’s only carrying out the dirty work of the West, which will be wrapped up soon and he’ll be dumped and the newly formed oil-rich Kurdish Republic will be the new ally to the West. That way, Erdogan might get real and compromise in a more reasonable manner.

HighTide

You are always amazing with your ignorance of facts. The part of Iraq held by Iraqi Kurds has a population of 8 million, 10% of Turkey’s citizens, on an equally small piece of land. An “alliance for the west” replacing Turkey can only happen in your wildest dreams. So, keep on dreaming.

mike nico

You do not know much about politics then,

This newly formed state the superpowers would want to befriend and the USA are not stupid to let them go with Russia so if I was Trump the first thing I would is befriend them and get them on my side.

Why do you think Muhammed Fethullah Gülenwas not even considered for extrication by the USA to Turkey?

Because in light of a successful coup in the future the CIA have protected him in the states
and he knows this,so he would be an ally if reinstated in Turkey as Leader.

Need to think past your nose.

HighTide

You have just joined Gregorius in the competition of who knows least. If stupidity would hurt you would be screaming all day. Get some information about this region and then come back again. The Daily Mirror has not got it.

mike nico

Do you ever read what is written and then try and argue based on facts?
If you want to try again I’m all ears, I even broke it down in paragraphs for you to make it easier let me help with the first line OK.

mike nico I disagree with you because _______________________________

HighTide

Your points are so devoid of reality, no serious person will answer them. Start reading.

Andreas

I agree

phyper1

Oh, La-La! You have just extinguished a great Country. We might have grudges with Turkey but it is not with it’s people we are moaning about. It is their Government. After all, we are not alone. Half the Country’s population is against the Government, or in prison.

Andreas

Yes I totally agree with you.

Stanlio

Hasn’t Anastasiades got anything better to do than meet this bunch of idiots?

mike nico

Well you must of an uneducated bloodline because calling them Idiots, only shows how low down the human intelligent scale you are,

The True Cypriot

There are many thousands like him south of the Green Line.

Introduce him to your TC “mates”

mustafa balci

You must be a member of Elam

mike nico

With a name a like Mustafa how do you work that out???????????? could I say he is a Grey wolf?

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